Grilled Meatball Parmesan Hero

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• Sugar, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the meatballs:
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Olive oil, for brushing
• 6 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced or grated
• 4 Italian hero rolls, halved
• Type of fire: two-zone indirect
• Grill heat: medium-high

Directions

1. For the sauce, add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper to a medium saucepan and set it over medium heat. Once the oil begins bubbling at the garlic, mix in the tomatoes. Bring the sauce up to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and let it cook until it has thickened a bit, about 15 minutes. Stir in the basil, then add sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Take the pan off the heat and set it aside.
2. For the meatballs, combine the chuck, pork, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, mixing until everything is evenly blended. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs, each about 1 1/2 inches across. Coat the meatballs generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Light 1 full chimney of charcoal. When the coals are fully lit and coated with gray ash, dump them out and bank them on 1 side of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate on, cover the grill, and let it heat for 5 minutes. Scrub the grate clean and oil it. Brush the meatballs with olive oil, then set them over the hot side of the grill. Cook until they are browned all around and cooked through, about 8 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes. Transfer them to a plate.
4. Place the hero rolls cut side down over the hot side of the grill and toast until lightly browned. Shift the rolls to the cooler side, cut side up, and nestle the meatballs inside. Spoon sauce over the meatballs and add the mozzarella on top. Cover the grill and cook until the cheese is fully melted. Take the heroes off the grill and serve right away.